Running Server-Side Javascript (SSJS) on Ubuntu

Using JSEXT, I can now run javascript as a server-side scripting language on my Ubuntu box!

The main awesome thing about JSEXT is that a javascript file can be run either client- or server-side. This means that much your data validation code and some of your business logic can be kept in the same language, instead of splitting it into (for example) PHP + javascript. Furthermore, there's only one file to maintain for any given bit of logic.

Here's a quickstart guide to get JSEXT up and running with Apache 2 on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron:

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IPA Scrabble?

I've been on an International Phonetic Alphabet kick lately (thanks to the linguistics class I'm taking) and have been contemplating the possibility of IPA Scrabble. As far as I know, it's never been done officially (by Hasbro or whatever.) Want to help make it happen?

Update 2008-10-25: Cascadilla Press may have something like this. Still looking into whether it fits the frequency and value model of Scrabble.

Update 2008-11-2: Cascadilla Press does indeed have a magnetic IPA Scrabble set. The rules are a little different (mainly to accommodate the difference between Latin-character English and IPA English) and the tiles are not designed for a regular Scrabble board, but the principle is there. They determined the tile values through gameplay, though it is skewed to work best for linguistics students, e.g. the less familiar symbols are worth more, and schwa is worth more to encourage multisyllabic words.

Update 2010-10-28: It has been two years, and I haven't done a lick of work towards making this happen. I hope somebody else takes this idea and runs with it!

Update 2014-02-15: Travis Feldman has a Kickstarter for Pijin, a phonetic grid spelling game. The creator has made some interesting decisions in trying to balance linguistic accuracy with playability; notably, IPA was rejected because having to use a lookup table made the game too tedious. (For most people!)

Update 2015-10-15: I see that Pijin made it -- congrats to them! I've also heard from the creator of the Soundable app, which supports IPA.

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How to catch a mouse

So today I talked with the Facilities guy who was installing mouse traps in the apartment. He explained what he was doing as he worked:

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Video: Mockingbirds feeding their babies

I set up my S5 on a tripod next to a mockingbird nest and left for 15 minutes. The camera captured one of the parents feeding them a mealworm (perhaps?) and a berry, as well as disposing of a fecal sac.

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